Vieira in support for VAR

PATRICK VIEIRA has launched a defence of Premier League officials by claiming people are quick to forget the ‘human’ element to decision making.

Vieira was left visibly distraught last Saturday as Chelsea defender Thiago Silva escaped red for a blatant handball, before going on to assist Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the equaliser in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 home defeat.

As a player, Vieira was never shy in voicing his thoughts to referees on the pitch but, after reflecting, the Palace boss believes calling for improvements in the levels of officiating is difficult when technology still requires human intervention. ‘Sometimes we forget as well that VAR is still a human decision,’ he said. ‘We can sit here, me and you, watching the same images and we may have a different opinion.

‘VAR is there to help but it’s still a human decision, sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong and it’s really frustrating for us because in those situations it can change the game. But it wasn’t the case and we just have to move on.’